Stanford University's research now enjoys a computing power of 700 teraflops in a single moment, 400 of which are delivered by PS3 owners. The console has also helped bring recognition to the scheme, boosting the number of PCs actively contributing by 20 per cent.

"The PS3 turnout has been amazing, greatly exceeding our expectations and allowing us to push our work dramatically forward," said Vijay Pande, associate professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and [email protected] program lead.

"Thanks to PS3, we have performed simulations in the first few weeks that would normally take us more than a year to calculate. We are now gearing up for new simulations that will continue our current studies of Alzheimer's and other diseases."

I tend to usually go through random day-long marathons, as opposed to a few hours per day (hmmm...today looks like a fine day for another one of those little Fold-a-thons).

It's does appear true though, that the PS3 has dramatically increased the project's recognition as well as performance. I and every one around me hadn't heard of [email protected] until the emergence of the PS3.

A few weeks ago, while happening catch some Italian news off of Italy's international satellite channel (RAI), I came across an exclusive story dedicated specifically to the PS3 and the [email protected] project.

I can't express how absolutely warm and fuzzy it makes me feel all over, to see unified humanitarian efforts being expressed across a global level.

But this news is good. Really good. I'm not surprised about the recent twenty percent increase in PC activity. Matter of fact, I think it was only yesterday when I realized that I can effortlessly contribute my PC's since they're usually on 24/7 anyway (hey, I'm slow sometimes).

Matter of fact, I'm gonna go download the PC client right now!...

BTW: If anyone would like to join in, please feel free:

Team Name: "NONNO G" Team Number: 59187

UPDATE: Oh my God...I don't think I ever felt that my PC as being so insignificant as this very moment:

How did you manage to run it on the pc? I installed all teh progs but it doesnt connect. Can you pls provide the links to pc files? I'd like to see how my E6600 2.4 @ 3.34Ghz cpu, 2gb ddr2 and 7950SLI 1GB vga will take on this folding thingy.

"Tokyo, April 25, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that great progress has been made in the one month since PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment systems became part of Stanford University’s [email protected] program, a distributed computing project aimed at understanding protein folding, misfolding and related diseases. Since the program launched in March, participation by the PS3 user community has been phenomenal, providing [email protected] with immense computing power that is helping to fast forward its research. Furthermore, thanks to PS3’s powerful Cell Broadband Engine™ (Cell/B.E.), the [email protected] program has become one of the most powerful distributed computing networks in the world and is quickly approaching a level of computing power that is of historical proportions. Exhibiting its continued commitment to the program, SCE also announced that starting tomorrow, it is providing a [email protected] application update that will further enhance the user experience. The updated software features an improvement in folding calculation speeds, increased visibility of user location (*1) on the globe and the ability for users to create longer donor or team names. “The PS3 turnout has been amazing, greatly exceeding our expectations and allowing us to push our work dramatically forward,” said Vijay Pande, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and [email protected] program lead. “Thanks to PS3, we have performed simulations in the first few weeks that would normally take us more than a year to calculate. We are now gearing up for new simulations that will continue our current studies of Alzheimer’s and other diseases.” Some of the key accomplishments made since the [email protected] program launched on PS3 include: · More than 250,000 unique PS3 users have registered to the program in just one month. · PS3 users are delivering nearly 400 teraflops, achieving a total computing power of over 700 teraflops at a single moment. This is more than double the computing capacity of the network before PS3 joined the program (*2) · The “halo-effect” of PS3 has been evident as the number of active PCs has increased by 20 percent in the last month. “We continue to be thrilled with the ongoing contributions of the PS3 user community in helping the [email protected] program study the causes of many different diseases that afflict our society,” said Masayuki Chatani, Corporate Executive and CTO Computer, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “As we move forward, we are issuing a call to action for all PS3 owners around the world to download the [email protected] application and help this cause. These PS3 fans can also be part of history as the [email protected] distributed computing program inches closer to achieving a petaflop – a measure of computing power that has never before been reached.” PS3 users can download the new update version 1.1 by restarting the [email protected] application. New [email protected] users can join the program by simply clicking on the [email protected] icon within the Network menu of the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) or can optionally set the application to run automatically whenever the PS3 is idle (*3). Starting with [email protected], SCE will continue to support distributed computing projects in a wide variety of academic fields such as medical and social sciences and environmental studies through the use of PS3 and hopes to contribute to the advancement of science. (*1) User location by IP address. (*2) Based on Stanford University’s [email protected] internal data, collected at the end of April. (*3) To run the application automatically in idle state, PS3 must be connected to the network with both the main power switch and power button turned on. Option setting must also be changed as this automatic feature is off at default. "

It really is there going to make history by reaching a petaflop of power that has never been reached, and are processing information for cancer and other diseases that would normally take a year in just 2 weeks, think how much there getting done in a year then that would of took years and years to do

Unfortunately Arkahm...that's the problem. Sometimes good deeds is it's own reward. I may know someone who gets cancer one day and this saves their life. Then, it will be worth every penny. Heck, it's worth it if it save someone I don't know.

I think [email protected] and future others distributed computing projects will bring to humanity more goodness from the Console Wars than any other. I hope that Xbox 360 users could hop to the board too and turn that battle even more useful.

Ive took the plunge and got myself a ps3,and i to will be running the folding client,its a worthy cause and the possibilities are endless..just think of what we could achieve..exciting times my friends.........

Whats this, like, 20 posts without a single xbot spewing hatred towards the ps3??? There must be some kind of all day halo 2 marathon or something. either that or they finally grew a pair and admitted they were wrong :)

[email protected] really is amazing. Its great to see the power of the Ps3 being put to use for something other then gaming. It boogles my mind how M$ fans can dis the project when the goal is to save lives. It's unbelievable shallow if ya ask me.......